


Let the Light In

by ObliviousApple



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Smut, Friendship, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Romance, Violence, War, love and war, poe is a great boyfriend
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:20:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22167742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObliviousApple/pseuds/ObliviousApple
Summary: Reader becomes the Chief Engineer for the Resistance after her father is murdered by the First Order. One night she meets our favorite pilot and they hit it off. Friendship blossoms into romance, but love will be tested in this time of war. Reader will have to deal with worrying about him when he goes out on missions, and even worse, when he doesn’t come back. Join Reader in this epic tale of falling in love and fighting to keep that love alive throughout the horrors of war.Begins before Episode 7 and continues through Episode 9.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! If you read any of my other stories, fear not. I haven’t abandoned them. My head has just been FILLED with this story, so it had to be written first. 
> 
> That being said, I’ve basically already written half this story and I’ve mapped out the rest so no need to worry! This one won’t be abandoned either. I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Prologue 

  
You were dreaming of flying above the beautiful fields and lakes of Naboo. Not in a ship. No, it was as if you yourself had wings. You could feel the warmth of the sun against your skin, the softness of the wind as it caressed your hair, the smell of the wildflowers in the fields below you. It was such a beautiful dream...until a crash interrupted your slumber.

You shot up, groggy but awake just as your bedroom door slammed open. Light spilled into your room and you could make out your father rushing over to you frantically with a look of abject horror on his face. 

“Up, quickly! You must get up!” he shouted, pulling you to your feet. 

“Father? What’s going on?” you asked, your eyes wide as you took in his form in the dim light. 

He was rumpled and dirty. His clothes were torn at the shoulder...and was that blood?!

“You’re hurt!” you exclaimed.

“Never mind me,” he said hurriedly. “Come quickly!” 

He pulled you down the hall of your small house, down into the cellar. He let go of your hand to open the secret hatch that was located under the floor, hidden below a worn old rug. You usually kept spare non perishable food in the cramped space. Tonight, it’s cargo would be you. 

“Right, sweetheart I need you to get inside and whatever you do, don’t make a sound. I’ll hold them off...tell them your off world or something,” your father said quickly, ushering you inside the small crawl space.

“Father, I don’t understand! Who are you holding off?” you cried out in panic.

The sound of banging could be heard at your front door. 

“The First Order! They’re here and they’ve found me! They can’t find you too! When it’s over...when they’ve gone, use this and contact Han. He’ll take you to Leia. To the Resistance,” he said shoving a communicator into your hands. “You’ll be safe there.”

“No! Father, quick! Hide with me!” you pleaded desperately, trying to pull him in the tiny space with you. 

The banging got louder and you heard shouting.

“They already know I’m here but they don’t need to know where you are. This is the only way to keep you safe,” he said, his hands grasping the sides of your face. He placed a kiss upon your forehead before pulling away. 

“I love you, sweetheart. Always remember that.”

“No! Father, please! You must come with me!” you begged, tears falling steadily down your face. 

The sounds of blasters could be heard. They were blasting the door down.

“You must do this. For me! Not a sound! Whatever happens, you mustn’t make a sound!” he said shoving you down into the crawl space. He shut the latch on you before you could even begin to protest, and covered the door with the old rug. 

You were engulfed in darkness. The space was so small, you were sitting with your knees pressed up against your chest. A crash echoed through the house and you bit your fist to keep yourself from making any noise.

You could hear them as they stormed inside. Several pairs of heavy footsteps thundered above you.

“Halt! Put your hands up!” you heard a StormTrooper shout.

Several slow footsteps echoed. You felt dust rain down on your head. Still, you remain silent.

“Well, well, well. Deran Aris. Did you really think we wouldn’t find out what you’ve been up to?” a posh sounding male voice spoke. “We have eyes everywhere...and unfortunately for you those eyes have seen you supplying war criminals with weapons.”

“The Resistance aren’t war criminals,” your father said softly. “They’re the ones that are going to bring you down and restore peace to the galaxy. It’s only a matter of time.”

“Enough!” the voice shouted. “Those rebel scum are no match for the might of the First Order. We will crush them like the pathetic insects they are, as well as anyone who abets them. Search the house!”

The sounds of Stormtroopers shuffling throughout your house filled the darkness. You silently prayed to the maker for someone to come to your father’s rescue. Anyone.

“We found a second bedroom, but no one else is in the house, General,” a stormtrooper said.

“Where is your daughter, Aris. We know she resides here with you,” the General asked.

“She’s offworld, thank the maker,” your father shot back. “Safe from the likes of you.”

You heard a thump, and then the pained groan of your father as he hit the floor above you. You jumped, but managed to remain silent.

“What planet?!” the General spat. “I will not have loose ends.”

“Fuck you,” your father retorted.

Another loud thump and a pained cry. You bit your fist even harder.

“Come now, Aris. You either tell us, or we will simply just wait for her to return. It’s that simple,” he said mockingly.

Another thud, and you knew your father had just been beaten again. Silent tears ran down your face as his screams continued as they continued the assault.

“Fine I’ll tell you!” your father cried out weakly, his voice filled with anguish. “She’s in Corillia...visiting friends. She’s not due to be back for another 2 weeks. Please...please don’t hurt her!”

“Her fate was decided the moment her father decided to aid traitor s. You have doomed yourself and your daughter. The only consolation you have is you won’t be around to see it when we find her and deliver the sentence you have bestowed upon her,” the General said cruelly. You could hear the sneer in his voice.

“Kill him.”

You let out a soft cry at this, but the noise was covered by the sound of several blasters going off at once. A final thud could be heard....then silence.

You bit your fist so hard you felt blood trickle down as you held back the scream that threatened to burst from you.

“Send a team to Corillia and dispose of the Aris girl. If you cannot find her, then come back here and wait for her to return,” the General commanded.

“Yes sir,” they replied automatically.

“Such a pity. He was a skilled engineer,” you heard the cruel man titter before stomping away.

The sounds of the First Order retreating....then silence. Still you sat there in that tiny crawl space in the dark for hours. You didn’t want to face the horrific realization that lay above you. You didn’t want to see the body of your father.

So instead, you sat there in the dark and wept. 


	2. Chapter 2

Three Years Later:  
  
You gasped, shooting up from your bed in a panic. It took you several minutes of breathing hard into the dark to realize you had been dreaming again. You would think after years of the same old nightmare, it wouldn't cause you to go into such a panic...but no. It still haunted you in a way that made the memory fresh in your mind.  
  
You forced your breathing to even out as you rubbed a hand over your weary eyes. You looked over at the clock on your bedside table to see it was just after 3am. You groaned. You knew you wouldn't find anymore sleep that night, so you forced yourself up out of bed and silently pulled on your jumpsuit and work belt. Insomnia was no stranger to you. You knew you needed a distraction, so you decided to do the only thing you knew that would take your mind off the nightmare. Work.   
  
The base was eerily silent as you crossed the hangar. A few droids were wandering about, either cleaning or doing whatever duties were set before them, but you seemed to be the only person awake as you made your way over to the hangar. You pulled out your datapad as you walked and looked at the work list you had for the day. The first thing on your task list was to service the new Commander's X-Wing.   
  
Commander Dameron had joined the Resistance several weeks ago, yet you had yet to actually meet him. The base had spoken of little else since his arrival. You could hardly blame them. His reputation had been streaked with rumors of his skill as a pilot, and you had been pleasantly surprised to find the rumors were for once true. Every mission he had gone out on with his Black Squadron had been successful. He was definitely a great asset to the Resistance.   
  
Of course, his excellent flight record hadn't been the only thing the base had been buzzing about. He was certianly a looker, and the females (and a good number of the males) on base had been swooning heavily whenver he walked about the place. You had gotten a few glances, and found yes....he was handsome. There was no denying that. But you didn't have time for swooning.   
  
You were the cheif engineer and that meant a shipload of responsibility fell to you and you took it seriously.

Yesterday, the Commander had returned to base without injury, but he had sustained damage to his ship. This was the first time you had a chance to work on it and you were a little excited. It was definitely the nicest X-Wing on base and you appreciated excellent machinery. It was in your blood.   
  
You reached the X-wing in question and took a few moments to survey the damage. You began by running general diagnostics and finding the problem areas. You clambored up onto the right side where most damage was concentrated. You shoved your commlink into your ear and turned on some music. You quickly lost yourself in the work and in the music. You didn't know how much time had passed. You were singing along to the song, some old love ballad, when you heard the familiar beeping of a droid. You looked up and saw the Commander was standing there watching you with a small smile, his droid by his heels.   
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt the show tunes," he said with a laugh.   
  
"Commander Dameron," you started. "What are you doing out here so late?"  
  
"I could ask the same of you," he said, walking closer to the ship and giving it a once over. "Do you make it a habit to repair starfighters at 4am?"  
  
"Only on nights when I can't sleep," you shrugged.   
  
"Ah, a fellow insomniac then. Glad to know I'm not the only one," he chuckled. "Need a hand?"  
  
"Oh you don't have to do that," you said quickly. "I mean...you just got back. I'm sure you need time to unwind."  
  
"Honestly, I feel better when my hands are busy. You'd be doing me a favor," he pleaded.  
  
"Well...sure. I guess you could help fix your own ship. I mean...technically you did break it," you joked, relieved to see him smile at you.   
  
"Technically the First Order did," he countered, climbing up to sit on the wing with you.   
  
You laughed, agreeingly. You showed him what you were working on and gave him a run down on what he could do to help. You were glad to find that he wasn't clueless about the mechanics of his starfighter as many pilots were. He had some idea of basic repairs and soon you were both working in amicable silence.   
  
"So, Cheif Engineer Aris," he began.  
  
"You don't have you use my title," you told him quickly. "Honestly it still sounds so weird. Even after 3 years."  
  
"I know what you mean," he said. "Everytime someone shouts 'Commander' I look around to find who they're talking to. Feel free to call me Poe."  
  
You told him your first name as well.   
  
"So tell me, how did someone as young and gorgeous as you find your way to be the Cheif Engineer of the Resistance?" he asked.  
  
Your face burned red and you were silently thankful for the darkness.   
  
Below you, the droid beeped indignantly.  
  
"I do not!" Poe shot back. “My manners are fine!”  
  
The droid beeped again.   
  
You laughed at the pair of them still feeling the heat of your blush. You knew from the rumors flying around that Poe Dameron was a charmer, but to experience it firsthand was not something you had expected.   
  
"To answer your question, my father was close friends with Han Solo. Han would stay with us from time to time, usually whenever he was hiding out from General Oragana," you told him. "My father was a very skilled mechanic. He even helped out the Rebel Alliance, though he was never officially offiliated with them. He helped Han out of more than a few scrapes, so they became friends. Anyways, my father taught me everything he knew about mechanics. I've been rebuilding speeders and starfighters as long as I could walk."  
  
"So Han Solo recruited you when the Resistance arose?" Poe asked thoughtfully.  
  
"Ah...not exactly. You see, my father began to aid the Resistance when the First Order began their tyranny. He supplied them with parts, weapons...anything he could get his hands on. Apart from being a skilled mechanic, he was also a trader. Sometimes he got the supplies from...less than legal methods. A talent he learned from Han no doubt. The First Order found out he was aiding the Resistance...and they killed him for it. It was 3 years ago, but it still hurts like it was yesterday. After it happened, Han brought me here. I promised I'd do whatever I could to help see the First Order destroyed."  
  
"Aris, I'm so sorry," Poe said quietly. "I didn't mean to bring up painful memories."  
  
"It's okay," you said smiling weakly at him. "I mean we all have our reasons for being here, right? What's your story?"  
  
He paused for a moment, but then began telling you how he had grown up on Yavin 4 with both parents who were Alliance veterans. You watched his face grow soft as he mentioned his mother, who had taught him to fly when he was just a kid. She had passed away when he was 8, and it was clear he still missed her. Then he began to tell you about his years in the Republic Flight Academy where he began to build his golden reputation. However, when the First Order began to assult the galaxy, the Republic refused to do anything about it in fear of retaliation.  
  
"And that's when Leia found me. She offered me this position and I grabbed it with both hands. Brought Kara Kun and Arana with me. I couldn't just sit back while the First Order ravaged the galaxy...pretending it wasn't happening. That's not who I was raised to be," he said simply.  
  
You finished up the section of the wing you had been repairing, closing the panel with a snap.   
  
"Like I said, we all have our reasons for being here. The Resistance is lucky to have you on our side," you told him with a smile.   
  
"Just like we're lucky to have you," he said flashing a cocky half grin your way. You tried to ignore the jolt of your stomach.  
  
"So how'd I do?" he asked guesturing to the section he had been repairing.  
  
You scooted closer to inspect his work.  
  
"Not bad, Dameron," you said approvingly. "I'll make a mechanic out of you yet."  
  
"In your dreams," he laughed. "Sorry, doll. I was meant for the stars."  
  
You blushed at the nickname just as the sun began to creep up over the horizon.   
  
"Well, as much as I've enjoyed this...I think I should try to get a few hours of sleep," Poe said stretching his arms.   
  
"Yeah, I probably should too, seeing as I've completed my morning task," you replied.   
  
He slid down from the wing and turned to you, offering a hand down. You took it and fell gracefully into his awaiting arms. You tried to ignore how muscular they felt.   
  
"I look forward to running into you again," Poe said, bringing the back of your hand up to meet his lips in a soft kiss. 

His eyes never wavered from yours. You were sure your face was redder than Tattooine. He smirked in success at your reaction.  
  
"Sweet dreams, Aris," he said softly before turning and walking away, BB-8 following close behind.   
  
"Ah, shit," you whispered, rubbing your hand where his lips had met your skin.   
  
Damn him for being so charming. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I try to avoid (Y/N) so that’s why I gave Reader a last name.

You were more aware of the Commander after that night. Around base whenever you passed him, he’d shoot you a wink and you’d walk off with a blush and a smile. Unfortunately, every other female on the base was also aware of his every move. In the cantina, crowds of women would come up to him while he was eating his meals, eager to bat their eyes and giggle seductively. You saw him flirt back, naturally. The man seemed to not be able to do anything but flirt. He’d tell them some joke or smile brightly at them. You always left quickly whenever you saw this, a bit put off by the fact you weren’t special. He was like that with everyone.

Over the next couple of weeks, his reputation only grew as he and his squadron returned successful in their endeavors. They spent a lot of time off base. Sometimes they would be sent out on fighter missions, sometimes they were recruiting. Either way they came through time and time again. Things were definitely starting to look up for the Resistance. 

One afternoon, you had just finished your task list for the day a bit earlier than usual. You stretched and decided to head to the cantina for an early dinner. You were glad to find only a few tables had been taken up. You grabbed yourself a plate and headed for a table by yourself. You hadn’t gotten very far into your meal when a figure approached your table.

“There’s my favorite engineer!” Poe said with a smile. “Do you mind if we join you?”

He gestured over his shoulder to where 3 of his pilot friends were getting their own plates.

“Sure,” you said around a mouthful. “Be my guest.”

“Great! Be right back,” he said cheerfully. 

He went off to get his own plate and soon returned with his friends. Two of them were women, a blonde who was too pretty and tan for her own good, and a pale skinned woman with deep black hair. The other pilot was a heavy set guy with a friendly face.

“Aris, this is Snap Wexley, Karé Kun, and Jessika Pava: My friends and squad members. Guys this is Chief Engineer Aris, the one I was telling you about,” Poe said making the introductions.

“Nice to meet you all...but I’m afraid of what he’s been saying about me,” you told them. “Let me guess. I’m the crazy chick who fixes X-Wings at 4 in the morning?”

They chuckled appreciatively.

“Nothing like that. He just told us how you were the best mechanic he’d ever met and now stunning you are,” Snap said laughing, nudging Poe in the ribs.

“I believe his words were ‘seriously hot mechanic chick’,” Pava, the blonde one, said rolling her eyes and putting on a deeper voice that was meant to sound like Poe.

“Hey! I do not sound like that!” Poe argued. 

Meanwhile, you were blushing up a storm.

“You have such a way with words Dameron,” Kun said sarcastically. “I’m amazed you get anywhere with women.”

“It’s gotta be the hair,” you said joining in. “The great hair negates the horrible pickup lines.”

“Oh I like her!” Pava exclaimed, laughing loudly.

“You think my hair is great?” Poe asked grinning widely.

“Of course that’s all you heard,” Kun said rolling her eyes.

The next 20 minutes or so was spent in this fashion. You all poked fun at Poe’s expense. They asked you a few questions about how you obtained your rank. They told you a couple stories about missions they had gone on. By the end of the meal, you were laughing more than you had in a long time.

Jess, as she had told you to call her, was your favorite...well besides Poe. Her sense of humor and sarcasm had you clutching your sides. It was shaping up to be a great evening, when a new recruit wandered up to the table to flirt with the Commander.

“I just wanted to say how amazing I think you are. The way you handled yourself against the Guavian Death Gang was just incredible,” she said twirling her hair around her finger seductively.

“Well thank you so much...” he trailed off.

“Lena,” she supplied with a smile.

“Lena,” he repeated.

“We are just so lucky to have you as our Commander. You must be the best pilot in the galaxy,” she cooed.

“I can’t argue with that,” he said jovially.

“Do you think you could take me for a spin in your X-Wing sometime?” she asked batting her eyes at him.

You wanted to laugh at her cluelessness. She clearly wasn’t familiar with star fighters.

“I wish I could, but X-wings can only hold one person,” Poe told her with a slight smile.

“Oh that’s ok! I could always sit on your lap,” she purred.

You snorted under your breath and Jess started choking on her food. You had decided that you couldn’t take any more of this girl’s stupidity.

“Well it was nice meeting you all, but I better be going,” you announced, getting to your feet. “I’ll see you around.”

You waved goodbye and then walked away. You were barely back outside when Poe ran up to you.

“Aris, wait up!” He called jogging to meet you.

“What’s up Dameron?” You asked.

“Listen...about back there. I just want you to know that girl...I didn’t mean anything by it,” he said rubbing his neck awkwardly.

“Hey, I’m not judging. You’re free to do whoever you want,” you said shrugging. “None of my business.”

“Well...I’m not that kind of guy. Despite how I may come across,” he said seriously. “I just....didn’t want you to think I’m some sex crazed maniac.”

“Maniac? Definitely. Sex crazed? Again, not my place to judge,” you told him.

He looked a bit put out for some reason. A small frown graced his full lips for a moment, but he recovered a second later.

“So listen, we are about to head off base tomorrow for a mission but we’ll be back in a few days. My squadron and I always celebrate a successful mission by drinking together around a fire. Would you want to join us?” he asked, giving you a pleading look.   


His warm brown eyes sparkled at you in the darkness. He gave you a pleading look. There was no way you could say no to that face. Damn him for being so ridiculously attractive. 

“Yeah sure,” you replied. “Sounds like fun.”

“Great!” he exclaimed looking pleased. “Guess we’ll have to make sure it’s a successful mission then.”

“I mean you should probably have already had that as a priority,” you laughed.

“Well yeah, but now I really have something to look forward to,” he said in a low voice that made your blood warm. “I’ll see you in a few days, doll.”

He turned to walk back to the cantina.

“Hey Poe!” you called out.

He turned and looked at you curiously.

“Be careful out there,” you said softly.

“Always,” he promised, flashing his signature half smile.

You turned and walked towards your room, unable to stop smiling the entire way back. 


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

It turned out, whatever mission the pilots had gone on had been one that required stealth. You learned this when BB8 rolled up to you one afternoon while you were working on repairing some blasters in your workshop. You chatted amicably with the round droid, learning a bit about his relationship with Poe. They were very close, and according to BB8 he had saved the pilots life on more than one occasion. As you chatted, you noticed a couple dents and scrapes on the droids body.   
  
“If you’d like, I can get those fixed for you. I can also give you a system upgrade. I’m sure your due for it,” you offered.   
  
BB8 beeped nervously at you.   
  
“Of course not. It will just make you feel...like your a brand new droid fresh from the factory,” you said a smile. “No dents or scratches or glitches.”  
  
He beeped his consent and you smiled widely. You couldn’t wait to see the look on Poe’s face when he saw how great his droid was going to look.   
  
You worked on him for the next 2 days, upgrading his battery life, fixing any loose wires you found, buffing out any scratches or dents. You even repainted his entire body. By the time you were through, he looked like a brand new BB8.   
  
He whistled appreciatively as he looked at himself in the mirror.   
  
“You were handsome before. Now you just look a bit more put together,” you laughed.   
  
There was a bit of commotion outside, several people were running past your workshop. You heard the sounds of incoming X-Wings so you poked your head outside to find it was Poe’s squadron landing.  
  
“Perfect timing,” you said. “Let’s go show him how amazing you look.”  
  
You strode off together across the hangar to where Poe had just climbed down from the cockpit. BB8 sped off to greet him, beeping enthusiastically.  
  
“Hey buddy!” Poe exclaimed, squatting down to get on his level. “Woah! Look at you! You look incredible! Check out that fresh paint...and what? Your dents are gone! How did this happen?”  
  
The droid beeped happily at him and Poe looked up to where you were leaning on an X-Wing nearby.   
  
“You...you did this?” he asked, getting to his feet.  
  
“Yeah, I figured he could use an upgrade. Don’t worry, I asked his permission first,” you told him.   
  
He walked up to you determinedly. You gasped as he lifted you off the ground in a bone crushing hug.   
  
“Thank you so much, Aris. You’re the absolute best, do you know that?” he said, setting you back down.  
  
“Oh...it was nothing,” you breathed, slightly dazed at the display of affection. “How...uh how was the mission?”  
  
“A complete success! We got what we needed and no one got shot. Not bad for a mission without my best droid watching my back,” he said grinning down at BB8.  
  
The droid beeped and Poe scowled.  
  
“Hey, I can be stealthy when I want to be believe it or not,” Poe told him. “I’ve got to go debrief with the General, but if you’re still willing to hang out tonight, we’re meeting over there by the East side when it gets dark.”  
  
He pointed out the meeting place to you and you nodded.  
  
“Yeah I’ll be there,” you promised.   
  
He smiled softly and gave you another hug, this one more gentle.  
  
“See you later then, doll,” he told you shooting you a wink.   
  
He walked off towards the Command Center with BB8 hot on his heels, beeping excitedly the whole way.  
  
You watched him leave, definitely NOT checking out his ass which was definitely NOT incredible even in that flight suit.

* * *

You gave yourself a onceover in the mirror. You had opted to leave your hair loose for once. Usually, you had it up and out of the way. In place of your usual jumpsuit, you had decided to wear civillian clothes. Black pants and a white tank covered by a dark grey jacket completed the look. It wasn't elegant by any means, but you supposed it was a slight step up from the work uniform. Anyways, who were you trying to impress? Absolutely no one....right?  
  
You sighed and left your room, making your way across base to where Poe had told you to meet him. The whole squadron was already there when you arrived. Snap and Poe were busy building a fire, joking back and forth so they didn't see you when you arrived.   
  
"There you are!" Jess exclaimed, throwing her arms around you. "We were worried you were gonna bail."  
  
You weren't expecting the hug, so it took you a moment to respond.  
  
"Oh...sorry if I'm late," you said awkwardly.  
  
"Nah, you're not. These two haven't even gotten the fire going," she said rolling her eyes at the boys.   
  
"Well you could help you know," Snap told her, throwing more wood into the circle.   
  
"Hey, I'm off duty. No manual labor for me," she countered, pulling you over to sit beside her on a fallen log.  
  
"Thanks for coming, Aris. You look great," Poe said, looking up and down at your outfit.  
  
"Thanks," you muttered. "Do you need some help?"  
  
"Nah we got it covered, doll. You just relax," he said, finally managing to get the fire lit.   
  
You sat back as the fire roared to life. Jess introduced you to the only person you hadn't met yet. A Keshian guy named LoLo Arana. The three of you chatted amicably for a while. Everynow and then Kara Kun would say something cynical. She was definitely the loner of the group. A bottle got passed around and you hesitated when Poe offered it to you.  
  
"Come on, it's Corellian schpeck. Good stuff," he persuaded.  
  
"Sure, why not," you agreed, taking the bottle from him.   
  
As soon as the liquid hit your lips it burned, but you put on a brave face and drank deeply from the bottle.   
  
"That's my girl," Poe said proudly.  
  
"Not your girl, Dameron," you replied with a grin.  
  
"Not yet," he said in a low voice.  
  
Your face burned, but you tried to tell yourself it was the alcohol.  
  
"You should be so lucky," you laughed it off, much to the amusement of Snap.  
  
The night wore on. Snap got absolutely hammered. He began regailing you all with stories of their past missions. You found yourself to be laughing loudly, your head just a bit buzzed from the booze. They were a slightly rowdy bunch, excluding Kara Kun who preferred to be silent most of the time but you even saw her crack a smile or two. 

At one point, Jess pulled you away from the group as the others were arguing about who's fault it was that a group of Kanjiklub mercenaries had chased them throughout an Outpost on Keral.   
  
"So...don't take this the wrong way, but is there like..something going on between you and Poe?"  
  
"What? Of course not. I mean we're friends I guess," you responded with wide eyes. "Why?"  
  
"Listen, I know Poe can be a huge flirt...but I've known him long enough to know when he's actually serious about someone. He likes you girl. Really likes you," she said with a smile.  
  
"No way. We've only been friends a couple weeks," you said waving her away.   
  
"So? Who says it has to take a long time to start to fall for someone?" she asked pointedly.   
  
"Even if he did like me like that...this is definitely not the time or place to start a romance," you told her. "We're in the middle of a war. Not exactly the greatest time for dating."  
  
"I think it's the best time," she said firmly. "I mean, what better reason do we have for fighting than for the ones we love?"  
  
You were silent. She sighed.  
  
"Look, I'm not going to tell you what to do. You run your own life the way you want. All I'm saying is tomorrow isn't guaranteed. If you want someone, you should tell them. Besides, we could always use a little more love in this galaxy. It's becoming harder and harder to find."  
  
With that, she returned to the fire and her inebriated squadron members.   
  
You stood there, thinking over her words. She had a point....but ever since the death of your father, you had withdrawn from people as a whole. You were still healing from that memory and you had been afraid to grow close to anyone in fear of having them disappear from your life. You were in a war after all. Soldiers went out for missions all the time and never returned.   
  
"Hey, you alright?" Poe asked you, suddenly beside you.  
  
"Yeah. I'm good. I was just catching my breath," you told him.  
  
"Sorry about them. They can be...a bit much. Especially when they've been drinking," Poe laughed.  
  
"No, they're great. I can tell they're all really great people," you said. "I'm just...not used to this."  
  
"I've noticed you kind of stick to yourself around base," he nodded. "Can I ask why that is?"  
  
"After the death of my father...I don't know. I've kind of just gotten into this mindset that it's better to be alone. That way you can't..." your voice trailed off.  
  
"Can't get hurt?" he supplied.  
  
"Yeah," you nodded sadly.  
  
"It sounds like a lonely way to live," he said soflty.  
  
"It has been," you admitted.  
  
"So why did you agree to hang out with me...with us tonight?" he asked.  
  
"Honestly...I'm not sure. It must have been your ridiculous charm," you grinned.  
  
"Not my incredibly good looks?" he asked in mock horror.  
  
"It certainly wasn't your modesty!" you laughed.  
  
"Well whatever the reason, I'm really glad you came," he said, his eyes shining softly in the firelight.  
  
He led you back over to the fire where Snap offered you the nearly empty bottle. This time you denied him.  
  
"Sorry, I've actually got a mission tomorrow. I should probably be heading to bed soon," you told him.  
  
"Mission? Aren't you an engineer?" Arana asked confused.  
  
"Yeah, I am. But you know how the Resistance is. Everyone does two jobs or more," you explained. "Occasionally I'm sent out on ground missions. Tomorrow, a squad and I are heading to Wyveera. There's a junkyard there owned by some Toydarians. They have supplies we desperatley need."  
  
"But...why are you going?" Poe asked in alarm.  
  
"I speak the language and I know how to deal with these kinds of traders," you said, arching a brow at his tone. "I've done this before, you know."  
  
"It could be dangerous," Poe said warningly, his brows furrowed. "Surely someone else speaks the language."  
  
"Probably, but not anyone who knows what parts to look for or how to barter with them. I can take care of myself, you know. I'm decent with a blaster," you said defensivley.  
  
"I'm sure you are, doll," he sighed heavily. "Just...be careful out there, alright?"  
  
"Always," you told him, meeeting his gaze. 


	5. Chapter 5

Everything was going surprisingly swimmingly. You and several other Resistance soldiers had just finished loading up the last of the cargo...when the First Order showed up. Suddenly, everything erupted into chaos. Those lousy Toydarians must have called and tipped them off. The air exploded into blaster fire as you fought them back from your ship. Everything was loaded, all you had to do was make a break for it, but first you needed to make sure everyone was back on board.  
  
Most of the recruits were smart enough to run and get inside the ship before they were blasted. Everyone except one of the newest members to the Resistance. He was a smaller boy named Brex, and he was a bit of a hot head. Instead of running for cover, the idiot went charging into the fray shooting his blaster like he could single handedly fight off the horde of Stormtroopers gunning for him.

"Get back here you idiot!" you screamed.

It was no use, he couldn't hear you. The rest of the crew was already on board, getting ready to take off. You couldnt just leave the kid. With a frustrated groan, you took off towards him.

"Don't leave without us!" you called over your shoulder.

Pulling out your own blaster, you began firing it upon the Stormtroopers nearest to Brex. You dodged through the thicket of old speeders and fighter ship skeletons, ducking for cover everytime a blaster bolt pelted towards you. You managed to make it to him, taking down a few StormTroopers on the way.  
  
"Brex! Get back to the ship NOW!" you roared over the sound of blasters being shot in your direction. "That's an ORDER!"

With his face covered in sweat, he nodded at you. He turned to run, but he didn't run to the next available spot of coverage. He ran straight towards your ship.

"NO!" you screamed, but it was too late.

A bolt hit him straight in the back and he collapsed, his blood showering your face.

"BREX!" you cried, but you knew there was no use.

He was gone. You couldn't save him.

You screamed in anger and thrust yourself over towards a demantled Cruiser. You felt the white hot pain of a blaster hitting your left arm and you cried out. You ignored it and pushed yourself towards your ship. It began hovering slightly off the ground. The crew was about to take off. You weren't going to die this way. Alone, on some godforsaken junk planet. You thought of Poe and what he would think if you didn't come back. You promised him you'd be careful.

With a final thrust of energy, you bolted towards the ship, jumping at just the last second and managing to catch yourself on the loading platform. Hands grabbed at you, pulling you onto the craft. The ship lurched, and it was thrust into lightspeed. You cursed loudly from the pain, but the pain was good. It meant you were alive.

As soon as you landed back on base, you were rushed immediately to the MedBay. A group of medics fussed about you, cleaning the wound with BactaGel as you gritted your teeth and sat as still as possible. According to them, you were extremely lucky. The blaster bolt had only grazed you. If it had hit your arm dead center....well you'd no longer have a left arm. Luck had been on your side. They had just finished up the bandages when Poe burst into the room.

"Shit, Aris! I just heard you were shot!" he exclaimed, looking from your arm to the blood that covered your face and clothes. "Fuck...look at you."

"I'm alright," you muttered, hopping off the exam table and wincing slightly. "Most of this blood isn't mine."

"Oh sweetheart...what happened out there?" he asked.

"We were betrayed. Fucking traders called in the First Order on us. One of the new recruits....he didn't make it," you said, your voice filled with greif. "I tried to save him. But he...they got him right as I got to him. I couldn't save him."

"It's not your fault. Don't you dare blame yourself," he said sternly. "You did everything you could and you even got shot for him."

"Yeah...he was just so young, you know?" you replied softly.

Damnit you were not about to cry in front of him.

"I gotta go debreif with the General," you muttered. "See you later."

You rushed off, ignoring him as he called your name out.

After debreifing with the Leia, who had praised you for your courage in trying to rescue the young recruit, she decided to put you on light duty until your arm healed. You had the sneaking suspicion she knew you were blaming yourself for Brex's death, but she didn't say anything. She simply gave you a worried look and told you to come to her if you needed anything. You promised you would, and hurried off towards your room. Finally alone, you stripped your bloody clothes off and stepped inside the Refresher. You stood there for hours under the scalding water, not caring about how it stung your wound. You let yourself cry for the boy you couldn't save.

You stayed in your room the rest of the night, forgoing dinner. You just didn't feel up to being around people and seeing their sympathetic gaze. Instead, you tossed and turned all night. When you did sleep, your dreams were filled with blood and screams. Sometimes they were Darren's. Sometimes the screams belonged to your father. Somewhere in the mix, your screams echoed as well.

Your datapad beeped at you insistantly, rousing you from your uneasy sleep. You blinked and looked at the time. It was nearly 11. Your datapad beeped again, so you pulled it off the bedside table. 

**Dameron** : Hey, how are you doing?

**Aris** : I'm fine.

**Dameron** : Have you eaten?

**Aris** : Not hungry.

**Dameron** : Too bad. I'm outside your door with food.

You sighed heavily, but climbed out of bed. You quickly shrugged on a pair of shorts. You knew you looked a mess with your rumpled bedclothes and messy hair, but it would have to do. You opened the door to find him standing there expectantly, holding a tray of food.

"Morning, sunshine," he said offering you a smile, following you into your room.

"A little warning would have been nice," you grumbled. "I'm not even dressed properly."

"What? And deny myself this view?" he laughed. "Don't worry, doll. You look amazing."

You sat down on the bed and noticed Poe looking around the room with interest. His eyes lingered on the bloody clothes in the corner.

"Uh...sorry. I wasn't expecting company," you apologized for the mess.

"Don't worry about it. I just came to bring you breakfast and to tell you to get dressed. I'm taking you somewhere special," he said mischeviously, sitting the tray down on your desk.

"Come again?" you asked dumbfounded.

"You had a shit day yesterday, so I'm taking you out for some R&R. Commander's orders," he told you.

"Somewhere...off base?" you asked.

"Yup. So get your butt in gear and meet me at the hangar in an hour," he demanded.

"And if I say no?" you argued.

"Then I'll just have to drag you out of here, won't I?" he threatened. "And something tells me you would get a little chilly in that outfit."

You blushed, self consious of your sleep tank and shorts.

"Fine," you conceded.

"Knew you'd see it my way," he laughed. "See you in an hour."

He left you there with a tray full of food and a head full of questions...but there was also a slight smile on your face. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy some fluff. :)

You found Poe waiting for you on the edge of the hanger. He smiled as you approached him even though you knew you looked apprehensive .

“So...are you going to tell me where we’re going?” you asked. 

“Home,” he said simply.

You arched a brow and he laughed.

“Well...my home. Yavin 4,” he explained. “There’s this ridge on the outskirts of the village I grew up on. In the afternoon light, the sun catches the waters of the crystalline lakes and make this incredible shimmering effect. I’m not really explaining it right....you have to see it to appreciate it.”

“Are you sure we’re allowed to go?” you asked.

“Sure, I already got it cleared with the General,” he said shrugging. “So enough chatter, hop on in.”

He gestured to a small transport cruiser nearby. You rolled your eyes at his bossy tone, but complied. Moments later, you were leaving DaQar behind. You watched Poe as he piloted the ship. He was completely in his element. 

“So...why the sudden road trip?” you asked him. “And why bring me along? I’m not exactly the greatest company. Especially right now.”

“That’s exactly why I’m bringing you. It will do us both a world of good to get away for a bit. Tell me when was the last time you felt like you could breath easy?” He asked seriously.

You thought about it and frowned. It had been a very long time since you had been able to take a carefree breath. Probably since before the death of your father. So much responsibility rested on your shoulders, and you were sure it was even worse for Poe. He was in charge of the fleet. You knew he felt responsible for every single death of a Resistance pilot. 

“Ok, point taken,” you agreed. “It’s been a while.”

“Thought so. Trust me, doll. Where I’m taking you now...it will help recharge your soul,” he promised.

“Wow...how poetic of you,” you replied with a grin.

“Hey, I can be romantic from time to time,” he laughed. “Especially for you.”

You were silent at that remark. He always knew exactly what to say to hinder you speechless. It seemed to be a natural talent to him. 

“Here we are,” he said, interrupting the silence. “Home.”

You watched a planet come into view. It was heavily forested. Nearly every inch of the planet was covered in thick foliage. However, there was a large lake that broke up the dense greenery. Poe steered the cruiser towards the water, landing on top of a towering cliff wall. You doubted it would be accessible by anything but a ship. 

“You’re gonna love this,” he promised, grabbing a blanket he pulled out of a storage compartment. 

You followed him as he exited the cruiser and were struck with how warm the air was. You immediately shed your jacket, leaving you in a tank top. 

“Sorry, I guess I should have warned you about the climate,” he apologized.

“No problem. It’s kind of nice,” you said taking a deep breath and looking out over the landscape.

It was absolutely gorgeous. The height of the cliff provided you with an amazing view of the thick jungle, broken only by the vast bright blue of the lake. You took a deep breath, inhaling the scents of the flora and fauna around you. The air was sweet and filled with life.

“You alright?” Poe asked you breaking you from your trance. 

“Yeah....it’s absolutely stunning,Poe. I almost forgot planets like this existed,” you told him. 

“And you haven’t even seen the best part. Once the sun begins to set, the real show begins,” he said with a smile. 

He led you over to where he had spread the blanket on the grass. He had landed in a clearing barely larger than the cruiser, but it was large enough for you and he to lay comfortably on the thick blanket he had brought. 

You lay back onto the blanket, letting the warmth seep into your skin. He was right, you needed this. 

“You know, this is probably the first time I’ve ever seen you really relaxed,” he said softly. “It’s a good look on you.”

“This is probably the first time I’ve been able to relax in the past 3 years,” you admitted. “Thank you for this. No one has ever done something like this for me.”

“Well they’re all idiots. You deserve so much more, Aris. I just wish I could do more,” he said, his expression regretful. 

“Hey, this is....this is wonderful,” you told him. “Really, you don’t know what a difference you have made in my life. You and the others have been so welcoming and friendly. It’s reminded me how nice it is to not be alone.”

“I guess it’s a good thing I had insomnia that night,” he chuckled softly. “Hey look, it’s starting.”

You followed his gaze and gasped. The sun reflected off the crystalline color of the lake to form a myriad of rainbows that danced across the sky. It was breathtaking and you watched the shower of color in silence for a long while. Tentatively, you leaned your head against Poe’s shoulder. 

“My mother and I used to come up here. We’d have picnics together while we watched the sky. She’d even let me fly home. After she died...I still came up here from time to time, but it wasn’t the same anymore. Without her...I don’t know I couldn’t appreciate the beauty of it anymore. But bringing you here...it’s like I’m seeing it again for the first time,” he said, his voice soft.

You turned to look up at him. His eyes were warm and soft as they looked back at you. 

“Why me?” You asked in barely a whisper.

“Aris...I don’t know if you feel it too, but ever since that night on the X-wing...I’ve felt something...some kind of connection with you,” he told you. “There’s something between us. I can feel it. It’s something I’ve never felt before. I’m not sure what it is, but I’d really like to find out.”

“I feel it too,” you admitted. 

He brought one warm hand to the side of your face. 

“Can I kiss you?” he asked, his voice low and husky. 

You answered him by crashing your lips down upon his. He moaned low in his throat but kissed you back fervently. His lips were soft yet he kissed you with a fierceness that surprised you and left you breathless. 

You felt warmth seep into every inch of your body. It was a sort of pleasant humming sensation that spread through you and left you wanting more. It was foreign but incredible. You nearly whined when he pulled away.

“Fuck...,” he breathed, resting his head upon yours. “As much as I’m going to regret saying this, I want to take things slow with you. I don’t want to mess things up by rushing into things.”

“I’d like that too,” you said. “And....do you think we could keep this between us for now? I’m not ashamed or anything, I just...this is still so new for me. I don’t want to have to explain it to anyone else right now.”

“Of course,” he said. “Whatever you want, doll. As far as I’m concerned, it’s no one’s business except ours.”

“Thank you,” you said smiling at him. 

“Always,” he replied softly, before capturing your lips again. 


End file.
